Boston Computer Society - Sinclair Timex User Group Newsletter

® Boston

COMPUTER

SocitrTyY

x
* Newsletter of the BoSTUG (Sinclair/Timex User Group) x
x

EDITOR'S HOTES

AS reported in these pages our
user group membership stabiltzed
at about 160 during 1985.

The current newsletter wtll ga ta
182 «members throughout North
America and to one that just
jJoinedt from Singapore. Does any
other Sinclair group have members
in Singapore?

A spectal welcome, then, to K. G.
Goddard.

Tha bi-monthly user group meeting
at uU Mass Boston has been
sparsely attended. Indeed, the

only person to show in Pebruary
was a non-menber who then
proceeded toa vent about our lack
of support for the TS/1000 users.

This is ef course a matter
discusssed in past issues rather
to the point of nausea.

The QL-Group met in January at
John Mitchell's in Westwood. The
lowlight of the meeting was the
fatlure of Peter Hale's QL in the
midst of the demonstrations.
Friends will be pleased to know
that the QL has been ressurected.
However, before everything blew
up several software titles were
demonstrated including EMSoft's
TRUST_FUND and a first pass at
Sherm Waterman's Recipe database
program.

The final matter of concern is
that this is the last itesue that
I will be editing. The pressure
of wrtting virtually the whole
issue is more than I can take.

I can reconsider tf I get some
help. And help does not mean
just saying what you want ta see
in the newsletter.

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter

Real
and putting it on media that I
can load in directly to a QL.

help ts writing the article

Other computers are not
compatible, sa 2063 and TS/1000
stuff is OK on Paper or send 1t
by modem.

The Sinclair/Timex Wewsletter its
the official publication of the
Sinelair/Timex User Group of the
Boston Computer Society ‘EoSTUG).

Annual membership for New England
residents 1s $25.00 ‘otherwise
$28.00) per year. Subscription
ta BCS/Update and one other news-—
letter is included without cost.

The newsletter has an exchange
policy with Sinclatr/Timex User
groups willing to recipracate.
Please forward exchange issues to
Jayce Blaho, orl Fellsway,
Medford, MA 02155.

Unless copywritten by the author,
articles are in the public dom-
ain. Attribution is requested.

MEETING WOTES
There will be no April or May
meetings of the BoSTuG. The
April general meeting has been

canceled and the May QL Sub-group
meeting will be in Washington, DC

at the CATS CapitolFest the
weekend of May 5 to 7, 1989.

lf you wish to attend the CATS
CapitolFest, see the promotional
mater tal elsewhere in this
newsletter.

Por shared rides, please call

Feter Hale, 889-0330.

- 1 - January/February 1989

DIRECTORY

Peter Hale
(417) 889-0830
John Kemeny
(50S) 692-0886
General Questions John Kemeny
(503) 092-0886
John Kemeny
(503) 692-0886
Voftware Librarian Jim kodlin
(503) 481-2155
Al Boehm

(Q17> 275-1097
Feter Hale
(617) 889-0830
Peter Hale
(617) 889-0830
Flexi-BBS (317) 648-7651
Sysop: Bab Cutter 646-4425
THE TIMEWARF BBS‘(508) 481-0555
Sysop: Jim Rodlin 481-2155
Newsletter Liason Joyce Blaho
(617) 391-7131

Co-director

Co-dtrector

Machine Language

SuperBaSiC Guru
Editor (pro tem)

QL sub-Group

The TABLE of CORTEHTS ts on the
last page of this issue.

BBS REPORT
Jim Rodlin, sysop of the BCS

TIMEVARP bulletin board supported
by our user group, reparte that
the board will be back full time
by the end of March and it may be
the first 1200 baud Sinclair
bulletin board in the world.

For the past six months Timewarp
has en on-gatn,off-gain with
hardware problems relating to the
upgrade ta 1200 baud.

There may be one of two teething
problems still remaining, but you
can access the board at 4 times
the former «peed, a real boon if
the call ts long distance.

300) baud wtll still work, but if
your modem and terminal software
will handle 1200 baud so can the
bulletin board.

BCS Timewarp is at 1-508-481-0555

BOSTUG Stnoclair/Timex Fewsletter

AMSTRAD TAKES HUMBLIBG TURE FOR
ALAN SUGAR

1989, The

reported that
the company that
manufactures the Amstrad line of
computers and owns, but has
refused ta license, the rights tao
the QDOS operating system, had a
stunning 16% plunge in pre-tax
proifts.

On February 15, Wall
Streat Journal

Amstrad PLC,

While some of the loss
reasonably attributed supply
and technical problems and the
world shortage of memory chips,
the Journal's article suggested
that part of the problem was Alan
Sugars's propensity for risk
taking. The unspoken conclusion
was risk big, lose big.

was
ta

If you are thinking of maving to
an Amstrad, check out where the
parts will come from if Alan has
been reading the Leading Edge
Corporate manual.

VERY RECOMMESDED READING

Remember when you were younger,
but nat so young that you didn't
heed to have an excuse ta read
Playboy?

How did that excuse go? "I only
get it for the articles and the
fiction." of courée, any
glancing at the photographs was
purely unintentional and only
necessary to find out where the
articl2 was continued.>

Now you can tell you wife/mother/
girl friend that you need to buy
the April issue to drool over a

Picture, specifically the one on

page 172,

What you are looking for is
arguably the best picture yet of
the sexy, black Z88. You need to

buy the magazine to find out
where to reach Cambridge North
America {or so you can tell your

wife/mother/sweetheart.)

— 2 -— January/Pebruary 1989

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
from John Mitchell

The last QL Report from Curry
painted a bleak picture of the
wL's future. It was a resignation

ani abandonment of support of the
few users that continue ta rely
on outside supporters.

There seems to be only one
mource of expertise anent the QL
in the Northeast and that 1s Tom
Bent in Maryland, which 1 think
is above the Mason Dixon line,
making him a WNortheasterner.

Now the former pillar of support
for the QL, Curry Computer, is
undermining the foundations of
the admittedly small QL Users
Groups with blandishments about
another English butit — IBM
Compatible computer.

their latest
to seduce
abandon thetr slowly
systems comparing the price of
an integrated combination of
computers and peripherals of the
make they are selling with what
the infertor upgraded system
originally cost.

Curry, in
attempts

letter,
QLers to
upgraded

And all one would get would be an
IBM clone which is ltable to be
obsolete with the tmminence of
the OS'S aperating system.

Although 1 thought that the
2X/Timex models were the MOST, I
should have been forewarned by
Timex's defection to expect the
sane from Sinclair or any
successor with respect to the QL.

However, I was hooked, but one of
the smartest things | ever did
was to buy an American computer
in addition to the QL. By 60
doing I can make comparisons.

My expertence with the English
built QL has shown me that:

1. Overseas support of the hard—
ware dealer is almost non-
existant 1f parts had to comply

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Hewsletter

,aifficult

with FC.C. regulations and/or
parts were daficient tn what they

were supposed to doa. A watt of
six months or more for a
replacement part from Britain is

not unusual. <I was fortunate in
having another computer.?

2. To obtain British made
components that conform tao US
regvlations, one must cannibalize

4@ spare computer or wait the tong
period for the replacement part
from the manufacturer, after the
order passes through a multi-
Pplicity of dealers who sometimes
lose the detaits of the problem.

3. Likewise, the same complaint
applies to peripheral equipment.
A disk drive | bought fatled to
function properly and it was
necessary to have an operations
controller customized, which took
eight months to accomplish.

4. A stmilar thing happened with

a plug-in emulator ROM which
would not operate when received.
It was sent back with explicit
descriptions and examples of the
Problems. After beaucooup
telephone tracing which went as
far as one of the Germanys, I

finally received, a year later, a

replacement that only emulates
European machine formats and is
useless to ma.

The Pston software, with which my
use of U.S. prod allows me ta
make compartsans, shows definite
inferiority to products produced
here as long ago as 1932 and that
are quite infertor to their own
more recent replacements.

Furthermore, British Engltsh is

to understand here,
of the foreign words and
syntax. Also the examples
are unclear and leave much to be
desired, If they used American
interpreters, maybe their
instructions would be more luchd
and even the British users would
have less to complain about.

because
their

I have TOOLKIT If and there ara
lots of things that I could do

aes January/February 1989

with it, tf IT could understand
how ta use tt. T have come to
the conclusion that it 1s one of
the sophisticated programs’ that
you go to school to learn haw to
use. But then I am an old dog -
and you know what they say about
old dogs.

AS you can see, I am prejudiced
but with reason. If l have to
buy another system, 1 only want
the computer and keyboard so that
I san use the perfectly gaad
peripherals that I have now and I
don't plan to buy a system that
will depend on overseas support.
There are plenty af systems
available here that are or will
be compatible with "Big Blue‘s.

John's

Editor's note: letter is a

fair comment on the frustration
that many owners of Sinclair
products have expressed less

politely over the years.

In fairness let us consider that
Sinclatr's great contributions toa
the computer age and to us are:

i> the products always delivered
more than the competition ‘at the
time) at a lower price, and

2) the computers nave always
offered greater access to the
microprocessor than any of the
competition.

Such computers are not for
everyone.
When low price is a hallmark of

the computer, something has ta
give. Wo Sinclair owner would
pay $495.00 for software, however

good. But if you pay $495.00 for

IBM software you buy 800 numbers
and exhaustive manuals.

If you think Sinclatr software
manuals are obtuse, wait until
yau begin exploring IBM manuals.
Finally, why do you suppose that
the IBM usar group is so large?
They have their problems, tao,
and aS a user group we extst ta
help each other.

BHQUIVALENCY TABLES

The following
Group disk,

was found by
Earl Rogers,

John Mitchell an
president of Precision Monolithics

a Kaypro User

was the original contributer. We hope that you find it as
helpful as we did.

10°2) Microphones megaphone

1012 Fins terrapin

10°%® Boulevards Pico Boulevard *

192 Piccolas Gigala

10 Rations Decaration

10 Miliipedes Centipede

10 Cent tpedes/second Velocopede

3 ‘/y Tridents Decadent

106 Bicycles Megacycles

10> Micrometers Kilometer = 200 Fentameters
10 Monolgues Decalogue

2x103 Millenarles Seminaries = 1 Binary £t
£10-8 Millicent

L Mililihelen mount of beauty tao launch 2 ship

Footnotes:

ft It helps if you have been ta Las Angeles.
++ The enlightenment generated by a seminary ts measured in

luminaries.

BoSTUG Sinclatr/Tims Fewsletter

et January/Vebruary 1989

DRIVING A MONITOR
From the TS 1000 ky Merk Fisher

rian : . i ril 7585 CRIS fi garefully drill the 1/4° hole for the jack, and
Eriginolly printed in the Fpril, " I l the 1/16 hole for the signal line. Solder up the

A “golden oldie” fron the CATS Archives. This ts assembly outside the case, and install it, being
Teslonacites Sa Raney, Show" ey wet jon fron careful not to leave any solder where it shouldn't

be. Carve the case to fit the new jack, insert the
chips, and enpy! :
The T/S 168@ was designed to produce useable
results ona standard TV. Its display was Hmited
to 32 character lines, partly to ensure that the AN222-
letters were still legible. They are larger, but Medulater 2

if you spend a lot of time in front of the set,
the blurriness of the standard TV screen can be
wearing. The fault les in the circuits of the
reciever. A standard TV is designed to create a
pleasing image from 6 feet - while at 18 inches,
the features are often blurred.

A monitor, on the other hand, has deen GS
designed to produce a crisp image up close.
Unfortunately, the ‘age monitor requires a
Cifferent signal than a standard TV, and the
does not offer a suitable output. Like many other
things with this machine, this can be y
The correct signal is present, but is too weak
drive a monitor. The mod involves making three
solder connections within the machine, to add a

one transistor amplifer for the signal. New
ar
The Mode, © Tia
Cit % na
Materials required are: Wwle Care ‘

case to clear)
2N222 Transistcr (Radio Shack sells these, but

theirs are of variable quality. A Motorola
version will have a higher gain and a crisper
output than the average Radio Shack
specimen.)

33 1; 1/4 watt resistor

100 2, 1/4 watt resistor

IN914 glass diode. Don’t worry about the precise
part number - all those little fellers are
about the same.

A panel mount RCA Jack (ex. Radio Shack 274-346)

‘The circuit can be put almost anywhere. There

ig room to fit it inside the modulator without mad.
affecting its operation, thus leaving an Inai4de
uncluttered machine, & the option of either TV or fs

monttor output. It involves drilling holes very ‘ tooM.

near to some resistors in the modulator, but I
think that the results are worth it.

To install the circuit, first remove the ULA -
and 180 chips, and store them in aluminum foil tto Monlter.Anip Schematic
Protect against static electricity). Nexte

CATS 9 AUGUST

BoSTUG Stnclair/Timex Bewsletter —- 5 — Janouary/Pebruary 1989

ANOTHER LETTER TO THE EDITOR

from Charlies Chrestien

I came by my Timex Sinclair 1000
gear last summer at a flea market
and I have since added a small TV
for a screen. Lt am trying ta
figure cut, when 1 get the time,
how to cable the stuff together.

Other hardware that I would like
ta see is a floppy disk outboard
drive, 2) programs on PROM chips
instead of tape, 3) Modem, 4> Ram

Disk memory and/or EPROM plug-in
cartridge for saving work, 5? an

80 column printer driver on a
separate port so that etther
printer could be used 6) a power
cord or supply so the unit could
be operated from a car battery.

Being a total neophyte to the
Timex and the writing of programs

in general, 1 find that mast of
what | reat in computer news-
letters lessons in some unknown

tongue, cemented together with an
occassional English word or twa.
t had hoped that mentton would be

made of help or other assistance
available to such as 1, but it
seems assumed that new members

are as expert as the “old guard".

You see i am one that feels that
operating systems should bea
transparent. So that like a car,
once one finds the key hole all
other operations are available.
736 San Jule Ct. #C
Sunnyvale, CA 94086

Editor’s reply: Charles’ letter

included more than can reasonably
be replied to here. Clearly tt
is difficult to provide copious
assistance across a continent ta
a newcomer to Sinclair computing.
But let's try.

Gut of the hox the TS.’1000 has 2K

of Ram. Memory e

increments ts avatlable, but
there are limits to how much
user-friendliness can be pro-

erammed in 2 K.

BoSTUG Sinclatr/Timex Hewsletter

want to do is
possible with the exception of
Plug-in PROMs and EPROMS (as on
the 238), (hat technology is

unique to the 233.> Ram disking

4s not very satisfactory, since

every byte allocated to RAM disk
is lost to memory otherwise, and
it is lost when powering down.

All of what you

At
disk
Shugart

least three different floppy
controllers that address

compatible drives are
around, although I don't, know of
any still in production. Also
the Byte Back 300 baud modem ts
been avallable, but again you
must hunt for them.

Virtually all accessories that
attach to the port come with thru
ports. Thus the interface to
attach an 60 column printer has a
thru-port to hold the ITS/2040
printer tnterface.

A plug-in-to-the-lighter variable
vaitage adapter from Radio Shack
will make you mobile.

Several articles in news~
letter list sources of software.
The BCS daes not have ai PD
software library for the Timex

Sinclair 1000.

We recommend that you subscribe
te Time Designs Magazine for help

and ads of retail products. The
May/June, 1938, issue lists
virtually all user groups in
North America ($3.00? and thetr
commitment to FD software. Write
Tim Woods, 29722 Hult Rd.,
Calton, OR S7O1?. Computer
Shopper has TS stuff, tao.

Also contact Bill Miller, 6675

Clifford Dr, Cupertina, CA 95014,
(408) 253-3175 for introductions
to user groups in the Pay Area.

Be warned. The 7S,1000 is not a
Mackintosh or even an IBM. There
are limitations and the keyboard
is only one of them. But the
instruction manual that comas
with the computer will teach you
far more about working a computer
than any other single source.

-6- January/February 1989

ARCHIVE CHARACTER CODES

by Peter Hale

Baw who

realize that it redefines many of
the

2 differ
GuperBasic.

use

Some
things; some do

Fsion's

following Archive
from those
do unexpe>ted
ordinary things

in different ways.

Bec Archive

Code Key press

CRTIL £
Bee

UP ARROW
DOWN ARR
RIGHT AR
LEFT ARR
“UP ARRO
ALT*LT A
“BROWN AR
ALT" RGT
“RGHT AR
“LEFT AR
“LEFT AR
10 SHFT UF
10 SHFT UP
211i SHFT DN
12° SHFT RT
13 SHFT LT
14 “SHFT RT
15 “SHFT LT
16 ALT RGT
1? ALT LFT

OOON1AODOISBWHNRO

23 SHIFT Fi
24 SHIFT Fo
25 SHIFT F3
26 SHIFT F4
27 ESC

2° CTRL SHF
28 SHIFT Ta
29 TAB or ~*
30 ENTER or
31 SHIFT F5

Error cade
‘missing “QO parameter’.
returned when you

OV
ROW
OVW
wv
RR
ROW
ARR
ROW
ROW
ROW
ARR
ARR
ARR
ARR
ARR
AR
AR
ARR
ARR

Td.

B

I
“Jd

93

SBasic
Key Fress Code

CTRL
cTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
TAB
CTRL
ENTER
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
CTRL
ESC
“SHIFT
“SHIFT
“SHIFT
“SHIFT

es KETOOMD OOO D> &

NAM EK CHHDODVOmmM OR

Be

Archive

des in the character set.

control
used

Error

92
92
92
ge

“SHIFT ESC 92

in Archive

try

the chr to the screen.

ta

Tt is
print

Character codec 6, 7, 9, 10, a7
and 30 may be accessed by mare
than one keypress.

Character 5 (left arrow) under-
lines the print statement that
follows until there is another
chr? or a line feed. Simtlarly,
chr (26) inverts the current
paper/ink combinat ton It ts
terminated by angther ri26) or
a@ hew paper or tink selection.

Chri6) 16 equivalent ta ! in
SuperBASIC - it generates an
extra space; chr(3), Back Space,

sends the next printed character
to overwrite the last printed
character; chr(i0) is like \ in
SuperBaASIC, Line Feed; chr(iz) is

Form Feed; and chri13) is stiil
Carriage Return. I didn't figure

out the others.

These character cades can be
implemented in archive programs
by including them in print
statements. For example:

Prant chr(S?;"HI';chr ?;" HI"

underlines only the first "HI".

The following procedure demon-
strates the effect of different
cades in the ARCHIVE character
set,

proc test_cade

let n=l

while n<32
print tab njnjchr<n);" HELLO"
let n=ntl
endwhtle

Each time you get an error 92,
edit the procedure to let n equal
the next greater number than the
value at which the error message
waS reported so you can continue.

You may also want ta try this
procedure:

prac test_key

let n=code (getkey ©)
print oa

test_key

Press a key comblnation to verity
the table above. You will find

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter ~- 7 - January/February 1989

‘and sometimes Fz) will
return 31, which should be SHIFT

FS. This is because both Fi and
F2 include the code for SHIPT F5.

that FL

This
will
indefinitely.

the <ESC? Key.

procedure is recursive, it
continue to call itself
Gat out by holding

Try printing characters 225 to
233 (to the screen). Modify the

pracedure test_cade above ta let

n-225 and have the while loop
terminate at 235 or above. There

are some interesting symbols na
one has told you about.

Knowledge of these undocumented
codes can make ARCHIVE programs
much more interesting than you

once thought.

ROTES PROK A TRAVELLER

Our friend recently returned from
Minneapolis where he renewed ties
with an old friend of his.

Friand's friend works at Cray and
had helped develop what is said
to be the world's fastest super
computer, the Cray model Y-MF.

After securing the visitor's
badge, they wandered around the
work benches and what nat ta
friend's friend's lair.

There was a ptle of circuits
arranged like a Dagwood sandwich.
It looked suspiciously like a
dozen QL motherboards in a rack.

Indeed, reported friend, it was

what it appeared ta be. Friend's

friend revealed that in the early
days of work on the model Y-MP it
was necessary to emulate sume
parallel processing concepts.

Ta do it, a dozen Sinclair QL's
were networked with some custom
hardware peripherals. Swears
friend's friend, the mtni-Cray
was baptised the Cray model Z-2B,

BoSTUG Sinclatr/Timex Newsletter

CATS CAPITOLPEST

On the following two pages we are
reproducing part of the promo-
tional matertal advertising the
CATS GapitolFest to o2 held in
the Washington U.c. area on the
Weekend of May 6 ani 7.

This will be the
Sinclair Fest and the first one
held within easy dista for us
in several years. It is sponsor-
ed by one of the oldest and most
active Sinclair User Groups in
North America, the Capitol Area
Timex Sinclair User Group.

premiere i989

Talks, swaps flea markets, new
and old software. This is a time
to rekindle your enthusiasm, take
the family to Washington or just
have a great weekend.

A contingent from Boston wtlt
attend and share rides to arrive
in time for the Banquet ($16.50)
on Friday, May 5.

The Fest will be at the Howard
Johnsons in New Carroliton, MD.
It's just off Exit 20B on I-95

and 1/4 mile from the New Carral-

ton Amtrak/Metro station (free
bus from the Hotel). (A $5.00
Visitor Metro pass is good for

four peaple all day, everywhere.)

Rooms are $62.00 a night (not per
person) and the first fifty to
register, gat a free pass to the
Fest (one per room).

There is a dedicated bulletin
board at (301? 588-0579 with all
the latest infarmatton or you can
contact Audrey Curnutt at (302)
439-8756 for voice information
and telephone registration.

To register for a room contact
either call Audrey dinsct or the
Howard Johnsons itself at <301)
459-6700. Do not use HoJo's tall

free number. They will tell you
the hotel is booked solid.

For local information and ta
reserve ride space contact Feter
Hale at (617) 889-0830,

-8- January/February 1989

THE BIGGEST T/S PARTY OF THE DECADE
This 1s a Show For The :

ZX 80 & Ace ZX 81 T/S 1000
PC 8300 TS 1500 TS 2068
QL Z 88 -Z 89?

Psion Organizer * Sinclair PC * Amstrad

Projected Program:
Friday:

CATS Cae cot Fest
PO Box 274

Garrett Park, MD
Contact: Audrey Curnutt
(301) 439-8756

Program Reglatration
Hote! Registration
Limited seating banquet

We're doing it differently

=> April 18 refunds will be back

Saturday:

8:08 AM Set Up tables

9:08 Swap Shop Intake > Biggest malling ever — scheduled
9:88 - 6:66 Open Floor and spaced
16:68 - 5:0 Speakers >> Easy Access - by car. train or

10:80 ~ 8:88 Videos plane (3 internalonal airports)

7:8 PM - 16:08 Round
Table Discussion
7:09 PM --> Hospitality Suite

>> Easy 24 hour dedicated
information BBS line (341-688-9679)

=> A hotel with major computer show

experience

Sunday: > ei aaheicnld a solvent, stable
9:08 - 3:86 Open Floor => Money held in a dedicated account

16:66 - 12:66 Speakers

16:68 - 12:60 Videos of
Saturday's Presentations
3:08 - 6:60 Wrapup/Cleanup

WE NEED YOUR HELP

COME ABOARD!

> TALK IT UP; in your flyers and

> Include show promos In your
catalogs.

Advertising.

> Think about "Show Specials”
you'll want to offer.

> Tell us soon so we can tallor
running of the show to fit the number of
vendors.

(fF you can't make It, you can help sponsor our final promotional flyers and/or the Show Program

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Hewsletter - 9 - January/February 1989

THER STRANGE ONE
by Charles Musselman
This tittle quicky for the QL plote an interesting design.

S50 s=2E-2: n=50: CLS

100 REMark thie experiment does black window

110 OPEN #5,ecr_350x200a130x00: PAFER#S, 0

120 CLS#*sS ib

130 SCALE#S, 4,-2,0

150 CIRCLE#S,-1.9,.2, 38-2; 1.8, .2, 58-23 2.8,3.9,58-23-2.9,3.9, SB-2
200 POR c=.2 TO @ STEP a

210 xe-.8: FOR 121 TO nm: xec- (etx): MBXT 1

220 POR i=1 TO 100: x=c-xtx: POINT#S, x,2%c: WEXT ¢
240 REXT c

250 END FOR i

200 :

270 DEPine PROCedure sav

280 DELETE mdvi_etranget: SAVE mdvl_etrangel

290 BND DEFine sav

Sign Up Sheet

Send to:
CATS CapitolFest
PO Box 24
Garrett Park MD 29896
Name.
Organization
Address
State

Vm Interested in:

Number Cost Total

@ $26.00 Tables (Includes 2 Vendor's passes

@ te2.80 Preregistration (First 58 fells ‘
reserved will get FREE passes to the FEST:

@ $16.66 Reserved cents for the banquet 7 ?

@ 819.60 Ad in Promo Plyer

@ $16.60 Ad in

@ 8 5.90 MetroRail Tourist Passes

Total Check enclosed:==sseezueesesn=

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timax Rewaletter - 10 - January/February 1989

QLAND_LORD

A Review By Roy Arsenault

VERSION REVIEWED: V. 1.0
REQUIREMENTS: 256k RAM and Archive V. 2.8 or later

/SOPTWARE PUBLISHER: EMSOFT DIV., ESTATE MANAGEMENT SERVICES
P.0. Box 8763, Boston, MA 02114-8763, (617) 649-0830

OVERALL PERFORMANCE: Excellent

DOCUMENTATION: Very good

ERROR HANDLING: Very good

EASE OF USE: Excellent

SUPFORT: Very good (phone support 9AM-6PM Fastern)

PRICE: $19.95 5 1/4 Disk or $21.95 Micro Cartridge

T obtained a copy of QLAND_LORD because of my interest in
Financial and Data Base software. QLAND_LORD as the name
implies 1s designed to aid in the management of rea) estate.
It provides complete detailed record keeping for ali
financial transactions, prints rent receipts. provides
quarterly reporting and prepares the data required for IRS
Schedule E tax reporting. A future release will provide for
check printing.

The software 1s easy to use and menu driven. IJ had to refer
to the manual only once during my initial usage. Some other
features are:

* Manages up to 99 units in a single file.

* Records can be ordered by unit, date, or type of
transaction.

* Security and key deposits are maintained seperately from
cash flow.

* Procedures for opening and closing the books for varying
reporting periods are supported.

+ The program code is unprotected for easy editing and
enhancing.

QLAND_LORD represents an excellent value and is at least two
cuts above the boring blue world.

BoOSTUG Sinclair/Timax Newsletter - 11 - January/February 1989

MULTI-TASKING MS-DOS

A bardy breed, Sinclair QL owners long ago learned to weather
the pitying stares of friends, colleagues, computer sales
clerks and other assorted ignoramt.

“Sinclatr, Oh, didn't he dte?" "I heard he built a new computer
but it didn't work." “Why, don't you get a computer that can
use real software?” "“QDOS? I don‘t know anything about it.”

Frotestations of multi-tasking ability and speed aside, most QL
owners retreat to quiet corners and munch on stale popcorn in
any gathering of IBM/clone users. Then they go home with a
certain feeling of loneliness.

Now you can be the first kid on the block to really give it to
thease nerds that are messing around in MS-DOS land - and for
only $149.95 plus sth.

Imagine telling those nerds that for only $149.95 you can now
multi-task MS-DOS software and for $80.00 more sport MS-DOS 4.0
which hasn't even been advertised yet by Microsoft.

Digital Precision has released the SOLUTION, an MS-DOS emulator
that runs on the QL. Whether this is a step up or a step down,
I leave to you ta decide.

SOLUTION 1c a software emulator of IBM PC and MS-DOS tn 100%
machine code. It supports full CGA-standard Multi-color
graphics and text emulation AND IS INHERENTLY MULTI-TASKING!!!

BIOS ts rewritten in unbelievably efficient, highly linearised,
optimal 68000 code. Speed is very much greater than one would
expect and approaches that of a comptler (not an taterpreter?
and clearly outperforms the Atari ST emulator. At 1 MHz clock
it is more than adequate for anything other than interactive
games (and what games on a PC are worth anything anyway?)

The SOLUTION auto-boots. That's all there ts to it! Devices
are user configurable. Two IBM character sets are avatlable.
You can readwrite/format PC/MS-DOS disks and even transfer
files from QDOS to MS-DOS and vice versa.

Not only can you multi-task MS-DOS, you can have both MS-DOS
and QDOS at the same time. Imagine moving between D-Base and
Quill or playing Blocklands while working on a Lotus 123
spreadsheet.

With the Trumpcard, a massive 667K is available to MS-DOS.
This is more than is available on a maximally expanded IBM.
With a 512K expansion 420K is available.)

The only limitation is software that makes hardware specific
calls ‘@ no-no in any case and pretty much restricted to game
software) or requires lockboxes for protectton,

The nerds will turn green with envy. And want to get their
own. They will have to buy an expanded QL with disc drives.
You only have to contact Mark at Sharps, Box 326,
Mechanicevtlle, VA 23111 (804) 730-9697.

BoSTUG Sinclatr/Timex Newsletter - 12 - January/February 1989

STOP ME iF YOU'VE HEARD THIS
BEFORE...

by Ed Kingsley

lat like to formally thank our
Editor for his countless contri-
butions to this organization and
it's newsletter and acknowledge
his subtle proddings tor more
articles,

All
almost
insight
‘trick’

of us who regularly use a QL
certainly have a personal

or have uncavered a
or two which we could
pass on, but assume that “if we
know it", tt must be common
Knowledge.

So, with Feter’s permission, I'd
like to tnaugurate this column to
try and encourage you to share
your tips with the rest of us who
quite probably "don’t know it”,
111 begin with three of my own.

b> I experienced periodic key-
board lock-ups and ‘White Display
Sereens' far several weeks after
setting up my RGB Monitor until |
found and resoldered ai loose
coaxial ground connection inside
the metal shell at the monitor
end of the RGB cable.

2? If you haven't got TOOLKIT 11

{you should!) the quickest way ta
EDIT a Superbasic Line ts to type
in a number - lower than the one
you wish to edit, but higher than
the preceeding Line - and press
the Down arrow Key, 1t.e., suppose

your program is numbered by 10's
and you want to EDIT Line 490.

Now, instead of typing the usual
E DIT 4 © <ENTER>, (for 7 key
presses), you type in ai noumber

between 31 and 39 and press the
Down Arrow Key (for oniy 3 key
presses).

You can aiso use a higher number
and the Up Arrow Key as well.

either case never use an
existing Line Number because the
Up and Down Arrow Keys will
behave like the <ENTER> Key and
delete the line.

in

BoSTUG Stnclatr/Timex Bewsletter

Once you have a Line in the EDIT
Window, it can be safely returned
to the Listing with an Up or Down

Arrow Key. However, it will not
simply be re-entered, but will
instead be ‘exchanged' for the

next higher (or lower) Line which
may itself then be EDITed or
‘scrolled along’ in the same way.

sENTER?ing the EDITed Line will

end this exchange procedure.

This will also work with TK-I1 in
ED Mode and may occastonally be
faster than scrolling to the
bottom of a screen.

3 If you have TOOLKIT Il, you
might like to add the following
to your list of ALTKEY's. (See
Feter Hale's tutorial in the
Sep/Oct ‘83 Newsletter.)

100
200

LET d$=Dates

ALTKEY ‘d', d$@ to 9) &
d$(10 to 12 &','&
d${1 to 4) & CHRS$(196) &
CHRS$ (196) & CHRS$<192)

«Note that the comma between the
Single quotes is followed by a
space. Run this.

if you have previousiy set the
internal clock, you can press ALT
and d@ together and you will print
the Current Date (in the form Apr
23, 1989% at the cursor position
dn the Fston Programs). The
cursor will be positioned at the
end of the abbreviated month for
you to complete the spelling.

If you're not using ALTKEY's yet,
give them a try. They're a big
part of what the joy of computing
is supposed to be ali about.

I hope that i'm right and one of

these tips is new to you and
helpful. If not, how about send-

ing some of yours to Peter and
teach me something?

Editor's note: Thank you Ed. 12
learned the full potential of the

ALTKEY date setting routine by
incorporating the Shift Left and
Left cursor codes to make it

easier to spell the month.

- 13 - January/February 1989

SUPPORT FOR THE TS 1000
ABD THE TS 2068

by Al Boehat

issue of
the last

The March
Shapper,

the Computer

source of
monthly support for Sinclair
computers, reported several
strategies for continuing support
of our computers.

In his column XKMichael O'Brien
reported two very positive moves
afoot and mention of a good BBS.

The first its that Bill Ferrebee
of Lemke Software has begun
lobbying Alan Sugar of Amstrad.

As wa all should know, Alan got a
whole batch of stuff when he
bought Sinclair Research from Sir
Clive several years ago, and it
included the Spectrum computer.

Lots of new software is being
produced for the Spectrum, but
since Curry had to stop importing
it, there are no distributers in
Borth America.

Alan has a dig marketing and
support outfit for Amstrad here.
Why not use it for Spectrum stuff
tao?

EBtil suggests getting up
petitions from your user group
asking for Spectrum software to

be distributed in Worth America.

Also write a brief note directly
to Alan Sugar.

MORE ON SUPPORT

There
group about the lack of
justified,
about the ZX-81 & TS/1000 and I

support

has been considerable gratuitous
for
but frankly, I have forgotten almost all I ever knew

never used a TS/2068 and those

Then send all those letters and
petitions to Bill Ferrebee at
Mountaineer Software, 749 Hill
Street #6, Farkersburg, WV 26104.
Re will forward it all en masse

to the appropriate parties.

Also in the same article was
mention that the 0.E.C. BBS has a

number of software titles for
Timex that you can down load with
your modem. The number ts <614)
423-7879, Select the files area

and specifically the (> section
of software libraries. There ts
an excellent range of TS software
including:

TSPD1.BAS Sound Effects
TSPD8.BAS Assembler
TSPD?7.BAS Disassembler
TSPDS.BAS Copycat

TSPD11.BAS Phone Directory
TSPDi3.BAS Headscan

The BBS is 24 hours 300/1200 Baud
?/1/E or 8/1/K.

Another source for free (or near

free) Timex software for the
TS/1000, TS/1500 and TS/Z008 ts
the Sinclatr Public Domain

Library run by Tim Ward and his
assistant Tony Wiiliing.

The library currently has five 60
minute tapes for the TS/i000.
There ts a nominal fee of $4.00
per tape, and contributions in
excess are gratefully accepted.
A TS2088 tape is coming out soon.

Tim is at 5142-D Ginko Drive Sv¥,
Tacoma, WA 98439 (206) 584-0339.
by Feter Hale

this user
Some is

bitching in

many wembers.

that know something have rarely contributed themselves.

l apclogize to those that feel
minute to express my gratitude

Mitchell, John Mitchell, Mike Padlipskt,
Kingsley. Each of you have tn various
easier.

the ways you have reached aut to me.

BoOSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter

left out, but I
to Jim Rodlin, Al

want to take a
Boehm, Mike
Ernie Wider and Ed
ways made my task a lot

I have learned from you and been moved in many ways by

Thank you all.

- 14 - January/February 1969

¢

8

This is a short update to let all of you know what has
happened since last you heard from From us. Since our last Press
Release we have ceceived Fifty eight individual memberships, and
an additional Fifteen memberships From Users Groups ( which
represents approximately twenty seven per cent of the known
users groups in the North American continent ). We have also
ceceived memberships from Australia and Great Britain. We would
be extreamiy pleased if we could establish groups to expand to
gutside the continent!

So what have we been doing all this time ? Plenty!! Firstly,
we drafted 6 charter’ that was designed tc a!low For most
provisions -inchuding expansion. This was a very time consuming
task. The Charter has been sent to the Florida State Secretary
oF State and was approved on December 27, 1988. All funds up to
now have been held and were deposited into a checking account on
December 31, 1968.

We have with the help of the Library Committee estabiished
a format to work the Public Domain Software Libcary. We
currently have set up Librarians for the Following machines and
Formats:

Head Librarian...Froank Davi

2x-81, 15-1000, 1571500... -

Cassette, Larken DOS - Tim Ward, Tony Willing

Cassette - Frank Davis
4&J Microdrive, Wafadcive - Frank Davis, Andy Hradesky
Aecco - “Phoenix” Pete Fischer
Larken - To Be Announced
Qliger DOS - Paul Holmgren, Willie Jones, Gary Lessenberry
Portugal Timex, Zebra - To Be Announced
C/PnN - Tim Stoddard
Ramex SPDOS - To Be Announced

Microdcrive, Floppy Disc - Tim Stoddard

Software, Eprom - To Be Announced

We are currently assessing what programs qualify for Public
Domain and we are gathering programs at. this time. We cannot
yive an accurate umber of programs available, but we have
conservatively estimated to have on hand approximately USO
Spectrum and 206 programs and ciO 2x - 81 and 1000 programs as
oF Januacy 1, 1989. We have been advised that several Commercial
beograms have been released into the Public Ylomarn. Once all the

BOSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newslatter ~- 15 — January/February 1989

delarts are arraingerd, an annauncement will be made.

We have also been trying to put together a Publication
committee to determing how our Magazine will look and its
contents. Several of our respondents expressed interest in
writing articles, so we should have several first time writers
with some new applications.

Included is the Official Membership Listing. All members on
the List are Charter Nembets, and as such ace eligible For
is oming officers. All Users Groups that are members need to
select a contact person, That person will act as directed by
their membership to vote eccordingly. All Users groups have only
one vote.

We are requesting that the membership cespond with the names
of three individuals for each of the offices listed. The
deadline For nominations is February eS, 1989. The responses
will be tabulated and official Ballots will be mailed on
February @7, 1:S69. The deadline for return of the Ballots ts
March @S, 1983. The results of the elections will be announced
on March 27, 1989. For your information, Mary - Lynn Johnson has
remarried, and requested to not be considered for office as she
wishes to spend more time with hec new family. We wish her ail
the best in Future.

The current officers are:

Hel Nathanson... Acting Chairperson, Pro-tem.
Paul Holmgren... Acting Vice-Chairperson, Pro-tem.
John “JC" Cushran... Acting Treasurer, Pro-Tem

The offices that will voted on consist of:
President
lst Vice-President
end Vice-President
Secretary
Treasurer

There is something special about a person willing to take a
chance on an idea that has nothing immediately tangible to be
had For their hard earned money. it takes a person with vision,
courage, and some money that they don't need right away! Ideas
with as much scope as the one we’re attempting are difficult
enough to pull of F without individuals such as the Charter
Members and without your help, I really don't think this much
could have been accomplished. Be proud - there are not many of
you out there. We thank you.

We hope that this announcement has proved that we have been

working towards the goals outlined. With the increased voluntary
help that we anticipate the organization will thrive and grow.

YE Led ioew.

Mel Nathanson

BoSTUG Stnclair/Timex Hewsletter - 16 — January/February 1959

AN IMPROVED LABEL MAKER FOR LARKEN SYSTEM

by G. Chamoers

Writing programs to create labels ts a time
honoured pastime among the computer crowd. Sut I think
this program offers just a bit more.

It ts designed to produce labels of the contents of

your Larken system disks.

It offers the option of

printing to the 2040 printer or a large printer. It
provides the option of sorting the files alpnabetic-
ally. It also provides the optton of printing the
program names in one, two or three columns.

Although the program makes use of the Hacksel
printer software "Iprint.Cl*, another drtver software
could be used by modtfytng Iines 160 and 350.

The program operates on the basis of reading the
{rectory (Track 0), placing the names in a (d$) array,
then manipulating them as required.

100 REM File Label Maker vi.
for the LARKEN systen

110 («REM oBy G. Chamders
t& Richome Court
Searborougn, Ont.
CANADA ‘ALK 2¥3

120 KEN Use to make a printout
of disk files
130 REM Data statements contain
Drive Control Code.

140 REM For use with the DSK400
system of $990 bytes/track
using a OD drive i.e.d0 tracks

150 RANDOMIZE USR 100+ OPEN #4,
“aan
160 PRINT #48 LOAU “lprint.c17c
Ove

170 LET cs2”

180 RESTORE VAL *210"

190 FOR n=VAL "63000" TO VAL *6
3047°

200 READ a1 POKE nya

210 NEXT n

220 DATA 195,43, 246,0,0,0,0,0,0
+249,205,98,0,201, 58

230 DATA 100,0,251,201,205, 33,2
86, 58.175,92. 50129. 32,205,126
24Q DATA 0,205,123,0,93, 112,32,
17,156.224,1,0,20, 237,176

250 DATA 195, 38,246

260 DIM d$(90,t1)

270 LET trac=¥AL "23728": LET 1
oadbuf=VAL "63000°

280 LET name=VAL ~57688°

290 BORDER PI/PIs PAPER PI/PIs
cLs

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter

JOO PRINT AT VAL "2",VAL °6%) £
NK VAL 72°, PAPER VAL °6°)" LARK
EN DISK UTILITY “: PAPER PI/PL:
eTAB YAL “10°, PAPER VAL “6"1"
ebeletaker *; PAPER YAL “1*,.TAB

VAL “S*; PAPER VAL “6")" By Ge
orge Chambers *

340 INK VAL "371 PLOT NOT PI,VA
L'"108"s DRAW NOT PI,VAL “627s D
RAW YAL 7"255°,NOT Pla DRAW NOT P
I,VAL 7362") DRAW VAL “52557,0OT

Pr

320 INK VAL "6": PLOT VAL 78°.V
aL 7114°%, DRAW NOT PI.VAL "50"
DRAW VAL “238°, NOT PIs DRAW NOT
PI,VAL 7-507: DRAW VAL “5238",NO
T POs [tk VAL *?*

330 PRINT "*****Inestall disk ne
eding a label*** see then Prea
aa key*'s PAUSE NOT PI

340 POKE 23658,01 PRINT AT 12,0
1 OVER Orc$ic$sAT 14,01 INK 71D
arge or small printer? (L/S) “11

PAUSE 0

350 LET n$*INKEY$: POKE 26703,0
1 POKE 26704,5) IP n$#"1" THEN
POKE 26704,254

jJ60 PRINT AT 14,0; OVER Oicds P
AUSE $0, PRINT AT 16,05"Print Nu
mber of columns (t=3) "11 PAUSE
Ov LET p*CODE INKEYS=48

J70 PRINT AT 16,0; OVER Oicds P
AUSE 50

380 INPUT “Sort (Y/N)? "isd

390 INPUT "Enter Disk Title*jns

400 LPRINT
430 REM

Pheking pgm names
from buffer(Track 0)
420 POKE trac,NOT PLs RANDOMIZE
USR loadbuf

430 LPRINT "Otsk tiames “ini LP
RINT

440 FOR n= PI/PL TO ¥AL “90°

- 12 - January/February 1989

450 LF PEEK (name+})=NOT PI THE
N LET eenele LET n@VaL *90*s G
Pie L *90"s GO
460 IF PEEK (name+PI/PL)*V¥AL *2
$4° THEN LET nameenamesvAL “4°
1 GO TO VAL “4go"

470 FOR m=PI/PI TO VAL “97
ane LET d$(n,m)=CHRS PEEK (name
4go NEXT o

$00 LET name+namesVAL 71"

510 PRINT AT IL, tlidsin}s* e

$20 NEXT N

530 IF ssv>"y* THEN CO TO S90
540 PRINT AT 11,115 FLASH ts" S
orting “+ FLASH 0

550 FOR £21 TO (emkh)e FOR Jei T

e
os IF d$(i)od$(j) THEN Go suB

$70 NEXT j+ NEXT 11 GO TO S90
$80 LET qh=dS( j)i LET d5(J)=a$(
L)e LET dS{L)eqse RETURN

590 PRINT AT Li,iti* a

one FOR n=l TO e

10 IF INT (n/p)=(n/p) THEN LP
RINT dS(n, TO 10)s 60° To 630
620 LPRINT d3{n)

$30 NEXT n

640 LPRINT + LPRINT ¢ LPRINT
650 DIN fS(VAL "9")

660 PRINT AT VAL *20°,YAL *6*;*
Label finished***Presa a key for
another start™

670 PAUSE NOT PIs GO TO VAL “28

680 STOP

3000 INK O: PAPER 7s BORDER 71 C
LS s LIST + STOP

9900 REM ** Sava to Disk **
9910 CLEAR + PRINT USR 100¢ SAVE
“label2.51" LINE 100

9930 STOP

From
September/October
Newsletter of the
Toronto Sinclair
Timex Users Group
SINC-LINK

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter

TABLE of CONTERTS

page
Editor’s Notes 1
Meeting Notes 1
Directory 2
BBS Report 2
Amstrad Humbled 2
Very Recommended Reading 2
Letter to the Editor 3
Equavalency Tables 4
Driving a Monitor (TS/1000> 4
Another Letter to the Editor 6
Achive Character Cades ve
Notes From a Traveller 8
CATS CAFITOLFEST 8
The Strange One 10
QLAND_LORD (S‘ware Review? 11
Multi-tasking MS-DOS 12
Stop Me If You've Heard .. 13
Support for TS/1000 & 2068 24
More on Support 14
SRUG Update 15-16
Label Maker for Larken 17

SOFTWARE HEWS

Sharp’s, a dealer in QOL software

and hardware, recently sent out a

new catalogue. Virtually anyone

who ever bought a QL from At or
Sinclair received a copy of tt.

It is a handsome presentation
with nat only all the latest and
best hardware and software for
the QL, but also very good prices
on the Sinclair MS-DOS machine
and the 2-88. It is a source for
Psion's FC Four, the iBM version
of the Psion suite for the QL.

Sharp’s also offers spare parts
for the QL, particularly the 8301
chip, having bought all the rest
of the At warehouse last summer.

If you @id not get a copy, call
or write Mark Stuber at Sharp's,
Rt 10, Box 459, Mechanicsville,
VA 23111 (804) 730-9697.

- 18 - January/February 1989

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